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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. s. MAXIM. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUSFOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES.

. No. 449,681; Patented Apr. 7,1891.

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I 1 Wdbwascdlir'u e'nlul- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet H. S. MAXIM.PROQESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES. No. 449,687. PatentedApr. '7, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I'IIRAM S. MAXIM, OF URAYFORD, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF AND APPARAT'USFOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,687, dated April'7, 1891.

I Application filed November 10, 1890; Serial No. 370,853. (lie model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IIRAM S.1\IAX1M, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Crayford, in the county of Kent,En gland, have invented 5certain newand useful Improvements in Processes of ManufacturingExplosives and in the Apparatus Therefor, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying andforming a part of the same. I

Myinvention relates to the manufacture of explosives of the kind orclass known asnitro-compounds or nitrated explosives,

such as nitro-glycerine, gun-cotton, and the r 5 hke, which result fromthe combination or composit on with glycerine, cellulose, or the like ofnitric acid orother suitable nitrating compounds.

In the specification which follows I shall descr be the invention asapplied to the manufacture of nitro-glycerine only; but itsapplicabillty to the treatment or manufacture of other explosive,compounds of a similar nature will be understood. 5 The main objectsofmyinvention are, first,

to produce any desired quantity of an exploslve by a continuous processor operation, and, second, to bring the acid or nitrating agent and theglycerine or other material to be acted upon thereby into intimatecontact with each other while both are ina very finely-dividedcondition. complish by bringing the glycerine or other material in thecondition of spray into a stream or current of acid-spray.

In carrying out the invent-1011 practically the mixing of the nitricacid or nitrating agent and the glycerine is efiected by means or aninjector operated by cold compressed air or by a cold-air blast; Thesuction prouuced by the current-of air flowing through a nozzle forminga part of the injector draws the glycerine from a tank in which it iscontained and-. ithecurrent 'of air impinges upon land atomizes theglycerine-or scatters it in a fine sprayi- Ilhe acid is similarly drawnfrom another tank and blown intoa fine spray, and -the two' substanceswhile in this finely-divided condition-are caused to intermingle inThese objects I ac-j the presence of air whichlis rapidly expand-' mg,a'irfd'of which the temperature is rapidly j falling. The atomized acidand glycerine are together blown into and conveyed through a mixing pipeor tube, and after issuing therefrom they are washed or quenched by aco- 5 pious spray or'jet of Water and collected in a suit-able receiver.

Thedetails of this process or method of manufacture .will be describedby reference to the drawings of the apparatus which I employ and whichare liereto'annexed.

Figure 1 is a vieuqmainlyin section, of the apparatus which I havedevised for carrying out the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of amodification of the same.

A is a nozzle entering a chamber 13, which is provided with a nozzle 0,entering the enlarged endlof a tube D, the three concentric parts A, (l,and D forming a double injector, of which the inner or first nozzle A isconnected with a receiver E of air compressed by a suitable'pump F to apressure of about one hundred pounds to the square inch. A pipe G entersthe chamber B back of the orifice of the nozzle A. This pipe contains asuitable cook a and leads from a tank or receiver II. A second pipe I,provided with a cock 1), leads from a second tank or receiver J andenters the closed pipe or tube D back of the orifice of the nozzle C.One of the tanks II J is to contain the acid or nitrating agent and theother the material to be combined therewith, and both are provided withglass gage-tubes K to indicate the levels of the liquids therein.

The tank H is filled with glycerine, and the tank J is filled to thesame level with acid. The air is then allowed to flow through the nozzleA. The current of air issuing from the nozzle A produces a partialvacuum in the chamber B, which, upon opening cook a, draws the glycerinefrom the tank H. The air impinging upon the glycerine atoinizes it andforces it in a spray through the nozzle 0. The air-jet and spray issuingfrom nozzle 0 produce in like manner a partial vacuum in the tube D backof the orifice of said nozzle, andthis draws in the acid, which, meetingthe jet, is blown into spray and mixed with the at mized glycerine. Theair being kept I0! under high pressure in the reservoir E, aconsiderable amount of refrigeration will take place in the nozzle C andtube D by reason of its expansion in these places, and the temperatureof the acid-and the glycerine will thus be prevented from rising toohigh.

The tube D, into which the atomized mixture of acid and glycerine isblown, serves as a mixingschamber, and should be of considerable length,so that the materials may have ample tiinev'liile in the same tocomplete teen inches, or thereabout, from the said injector, and maygradually increase in diameter beyond this point until it reaches acollecting-tank L. It is, moreover, advantageous to arrange the saidpipe or tube with a fall of about one in fifteen towardthe said tank.

The length of the mixing-pipe D may be from one to two hundred feet,more or less, and a wall or a mound of eartlnmay behuilt between theinjector and the tank L to serve as a protection to the operator. Thepipe D, as. well as other parts of the apparatus, may be surrounded by awater-jacket M, through which a circulation of cool water is maintainedfor keeping down the teinperatnre of the explosive compound. I Prior toentering the collecting-tank L the currentof spray is met by astream ora number of jets of cold water from a nozzle N or other suitable device,which serves to cool or "quench the'said spray as it enters the tank.

, The tanks J H for containing the acid and the glycerine are preferablyarranged side by side above the injector and'mixing tube or chamber, andshould be made of such relative capacities or dimensions that they willcon- .tain the required proportions of acid and 1 glyceri-ne, and willtherefore both be emptied at the same time.

. By the use of an apparatus s-uch as that above described it will beseen that't-he'quan- 1 I tity of explosive material operated upon atpansion of the air as it issues from the in any time in the apparatus isvery small. The

collecting-tank should, however, be of large dimensions, so that'it willcontain a great quantity of water. 4

The acids and glycerine being blown into a fine-spray, as abovedescribed, an instantaneous nitration will be effected, while theexjector serves to lower the temperature. Moreover, by the use of myimproved apparatus the chemical reaction may be readily controlled, andshould any undue production of heat take place or nitrous fumes bedeveloped the supply of air to the injector may be increased and thetemperature thus brought down.

In cases where the space available for the i apparatus does not admitofthe use of a long mixing pipe or tube, such as I have hereindescribed, the mixing-tube D is carried direct to a tank L, surroundedby a water-jacket O.

mixing glycerine and acid.

A pipe P leads from this tank, from the bottom or near it, back to themixing-chamber or space at the rear of the nozzle 0. This pipe containsa cock R, which while the atomized acid-and glycerine are being mixed isclosed. When a quantity of explosive has been thus made, the acid andglycerine supply-pipes are closed and the cock R opened. The continuedflow of air under pressure produces a rapid flow of the mixture from ppe back into the tank. The expanding air, with its refrigerating elfect,keeps down the temperature, while by the circulation and agitation thesubstances are thoroughly and intimately mixed.

An air-vent S is provided in the tank L,

and the same disposition as in the previous case maybe used forquenching the mixture by jets of water.

The subsequent treatment of the nitroglycerine or other compounds madeby this process may be the same as in the case of similar compounds ashitherto manufactured.

WVhat I claim is-- l. The method or process of manufacturing jets of theacid and material to be acted upon thereby, in the condition of spray,carrying off the spray in a mixing-chamber, and col-.

lecting the resulting compound in a tank or receiver.

- -3. The method or process of manufacturing explosives hereindescribed, which consists in atomizing or spraying glycerine by a et ofair under pressure, separately atomiz ng or spraying in a similar mannera nitrating agent, and mixing the two substances while in the conditionof spray.

4. The method or process of manufacturing I explosives, which consistsin separately atomizing and uniting the spray of the nitrating agent andthe substance to be acted upon thereby, and then quenching the mixturewith water.

5. The combination ofa nozzle, a receiver or source of compressed airconnected therewith, a tube or chamber surrounding the nozzle, a tank orreceiver for glycerine connected with said chamber, a second chamber,and a tank or receiver for acid'connected with'the same, the firstchamber being formed with a contracted nozzle that enters the second ormixing chamber, the-above parts being arranged in substantially themanner set forth to constitute an injector for 'atomizing' and 6. Thecombination, with a collecting-tank,

a mixing tube or chamber leading thereto,

and a nozzle or means of quenching with was ter an explosive mixturedelivered from the mixing-tube into the collecting-tank, of an injectorat the end of the mixing-tube, tanks for containing acid and glycerine,respectively, connecting with the injector, and a receiver or source ofcompressed air for operating the injector.

7. The combination, with a receiving-tank and mixing tube or chamber, oftwo concentric injector-nozzles, receivers for containing 10 gi'ycerineand. acid, respectively, connected tothe chambers surrounding thenozzlce in the rear of the orifices of the same, and a source ofcompressed air, as herein set forth. I

. I-IIRAM S. MAXIM.

Witnesses: A

PARKER W. PAGE, FRANK B. MURPHY.

